funding

The Science Media Centre’s funding model is designed to reflect its position as an independent press office that is not linked to specific institutional interests. As such the Centre seeks donations from a wide variety of organisations with an interest in the accurate reporting of science in the mass media, including scientific institutions, science-based companies, charities, media organisations and government. See below for the list of funders.

The Centre is independent from its funders who do not gain influence over the SMC’s work in return for their financial support. To protect the Centre from any undue influence the SMC caps donations from any one institution at 5% of annual income. The SMC’s Trustees and Advisory Committee have agreed on a small number of exceptions to the 5% upper limit on donations. These exceptions are large trusts like the Wellcome Trust and Drayson Foundation.

The aggregate of public money from government and government funded bodies can also exceed 5%. This allows the SMC to accept funds from different science based departments in central government, from research councils and from arm’s length organisations, while the 5% upper limit continues to apply to each individual body.

In addition to core funding the Centre also accepts support from some funders for specific projects. For instance, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has covered the costs of two Introduction to the News Media events per year in addition to their contribution to the Centre’s core costs, and the Science and Technology Facilities Council which funded the position of events officer at the Centre in 2012-13.